MVP
Center Jenna Green was named the Team MVP at the conclusion of last season and there was little speculation as to who would receive that honor. The San Jose, Calif. native was defenitely UCSB's Most Valuable Player in 2006-07, leading the team in several statistical categories, including scoring (16.6 ppg), rebounding, (7.1 rpg), blocked shots (1.7 bpg), field goals made (218), field goal percentage (.537), and free-throws made (113). The only player to start all 33 contests a year ago, Green led the team in scoring 19 times during the season, including both contests in the Big West Tournament and Santa Barbara's match-up with the University of San Diego and Oregon in the WNIT. She scored in double figures 29 times and scored 20 or more on 11 occasions, including the final three games of the year. The two-time All-Big West First Team selection also set new career highs in points (27), field goals made (12), field goals attempted (20), free throws made (11), free throws attempted (15), rebounds (13), assists (5), and blocks (6) as a junior last season.
A Day To Remember
While Jenna Green turned in several memorable performances in 2006-07, there is one day in particular that sticks out above the rest. February 17, 2007 turned out to be a day of personal milestones for Green, as she set a new career-high scoring a game-high 29 points against visiting Cal Poly that afternoon. Green finished a very impressive 11-for-16 (.688) from the floor, went 7-of-8 at the free throw line and was one shy of her career mark with 12 rebounds. The performance eclipsed her previous personal best of 24 points that came against Cal State Northridge March 10, 2006. Additionally, the 6-foot-4 center became the 21st player in Gaucho history to reach the 1,000 point mark for her career when she scored her eighth point of the game with 7:53 remaining in the first half. Green went on to score another 160 points during the remaining eight games and now sits 17th on the UCSB all-time scoring chart with 1,160 career points. She is just 54 points shy of passing Kira Anthofer (1984-89) for 16th on the list. The only downside of the afteroon was Santa Barbara lost the game, 71-68.
A Healthy Dose of Green Is A Good Thing
After missing all but three contests of the 2004-05 season with a torn medial collateral ligament, Green has returned healthy and been a force to be reckoned with over the last two years. In fact, Green has appeared in and started 62 of a possible 63 games combining 2005-06 and 2006-07, more than any other player on the roster over that span. She has averaged 29.8 minutes per game as a sophomore and junior, with only former teammate LaShay Fears seeing more playing time over the past two seasons at just under 31 minutes per contest. The one time head coach Mark French was forced to go without his star center since her return from injury was against UC Irvine in the Thunderdome February 16, 2006, a game the Gauchos lost 82-69. With the offense running through her at all times, there is no questioning how critical Green is to UCSB's success.
2006-07
The Gauchos' leader on offensive once again, Green scored in double figures in all but four games as a junior and had 11 performances of 20 or more...She led the team in scoring averaging 16.6 points, rebounding at 7.1 per night, and recorded a team-high 55 blocked shots...Was UCSB's leading scorer in 20 of 33 games last season...The two-time All-Big West First Team selection was tops in the conference shooting 53.7% from the floor, ranked second in both scoring and blocks, and ninth in rebounding...Was the only player on the squad to start every game and was third averaging 30.6 minutes per contest...Recorded four double-doubles during the year, including a 14-point and career-best 13-rebound performance against Louisville November 24...Blocked a career-high six shots to go with 15 points and 11 rebounds at Cal Poly January 20...Also scored a career-high 29 points on 11-for-16 shooting in a losing effort against the Mustangs February 17 and became the 21st player in program history to reach 1,000 points for her career in that game...In fact, Green enters her senior season 17th on the UCSB all-time scoring chart with 1,160 career points and is just 54 points shy of Kira Anthofer (1984-89) for 16th on the list...Made 12-of-19 shots and finished with 24 points and nine rebounds against Cal State Fullerton February 22...Tallied 14 points, six boards, and five blocks in a win over Pacific March 1...Had a very strong showing during the postseason, leading the Gauchos in scoring in both Big West Tournament contests and in two games in the WNIT...Erupted for 27 points on 11-for-14 shooting -- a career-best 78.6% from the field -- and hauled in seven rebounds to lead the Gauchos to a 57-52 victory over the Titans in the semifinals of the Big West Tourney March 9...Tallied a team-high 21 points against UC Riverside in the final the next day to earn a second consecutive all-tournament team selection...Scored a game-high 25 points propelling UCSB to a convincing 75-63 win over San Diego in the WNIT First Round...The performance raised her scoring average to a season-best 16.8 points per game...Was the named the Team MVP and UCSB's Female Scholar Athlete of the Year.
2005-06
UCSB's most consistent offensive weapon, she took no time shaking off the rust from her redshirt season in 2004-05...A member of the All-Big West First Team, ranking among the league's top-five players in four major statistical categories...Field goal percentage of 53.4% was second-best, while 14.4 points per game average ranked third in the conference...Owned the fourth-best rebounding average and fifth-highest blocks per game mark at 7.4 and 1.21, respectively...Was a double-digit scorer in 23 of her 29 appearances and led or tied for the team lead 15 times...All six career double-doubles came in 2005-06, including both Big West Tournament contests en route to a spot on the all-tourney team...24 points in the semifinal win over Cal State Northridge March 10 established a career-high and were the most by a Gaucho in 2005-06...Made 12 field goals in that game, equaling the most by any UCSB player in the history of league tourney competition...After amassing 17 points and nine boards in the win over NCAA-bound Pepperdine on December 30, Green earned her first Big West Player of the Week award...Had a rough Northern California roadtrip, fouling out at 14th-ranked Stanford before being elbowed in the head at UC Davis, forcing her to miss the following contest...Returned with a vengeance, scoring in double-digits seven games and leading UCSB offensively five times...Buried 36 of her final 52 shots (69.2%) to close the 2005-06 campaign...Selected to the six-player Preseason All-Big West Team.
2004-05
Granted a medical redshirt by the NCAA after tearing the medial collateral ligament in her left knee late in the second half against Purdue on December 3...Averaged 13.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 65.5% shooting in three games before her injury, starting and scoring in double-figures each time...Tallied a career-high-tying 19 points and eight rebounds during the season-opening win at Saint Mary's...Made five of six shots for 10 points against Michigan and then tallied 12 vs. the 13th-ranked Boilermakers.
2003-04
After initially being considered a candidate to redshirt as a true freshman, Green emerged as a valuable member of the Gauchos in 2003-04...15th player in UCSB history to earn Big West All-Freshman Team accolades...Started season opener in place of an ailing Lindsay Taylor, scoring nine points, grabbing four rebounds, and blocking two shots vs. San Diego...Was in the starting lineup for seven other contests...53.3% shooting percentage and 26 blocked shots both ranked second on the team...Buried all five shots in the January 29 win at UC Riverside, the best single-game performance on the season by a Gaucho with at least five attempts...Finished that contest with 10 points, one of her three double-digit efforts in 2003-04...Scored a season-high 19 points February 5, as UCSB avenged its lone conference loss to Idaho, the most scored by a Gaucho rookie in nearly two full years...Also hauled down nine rebounds in that game to lead all players...Sunk 15 of 21 shots (71.4%) during a four-game stretch of January league games...Went 3-for-3 in the Big West title game against Idaho...One week later, she tallied five points and seven boards in UCSB's NCAA First Round upset of Colorado...Her 0.76 blocks per game ranked 10th in the Big West and was the highest average by any league rookie.
High School
Enjoyed standout four-year varsity career at Archbishop Mitty High School...Honorable mention McDonald's All-American as a senior, also earning All-CIF and First Team All-Central Coast Section acclaim...Mitty advanced all the way to the 2003 CIF Division I State Championship game after going undefeated in West Catholic Athletic League play...Averaged 16 points and 12 rebounds in 2002-03, shooting over 60% each season of her prep career...Blocked a school-record 212 shots as a junior en route to being named the Blossom Valley Athletic League MVP...Single-game high was an incredible 18 blocks vs. Bishop O'Dowd as a senior...Coached by Sue Phillips...Also lettered in volleyball for the Monarchs...An outstanding student, Green was a Mitty Honor Roll member for three years...Among her most memorable athletic achievements was hitting two free throws with no time remaining to give her team a championship in eighth grade.
Personal
Jenna Marie Green came into this world on June 23, 1985 in San Jose, Calif....The daughter of Kenneth and Nancy Green...Has an older sister, Jacquelyn, and a younger brother, Kenneth, Jr....Affectionately nicknamed "Stretch"...A black studies and sociology double major at UCSB, with aspirations of becoming a sports psychologist...Roots for the Los Angeles Lakers and Sparks, but maintains her Nor Cal loyalties as a San Francisco 49ers fan...An avid swimmer and shopper...Favorite movies are "Friday" and "Blank Man," while she reads the works of authors John Edgar Wideman and Maya Angelou.